REGINA - The week-long Cathedral Village Arts Festival kicks off Monday, May 19, with a parade.
Led by the Pile of Bones Brass Band, the parade departs from Athol St. (south of 13th Avenue) at 11 a.m. and makes its way west along 13th to Elphinstone Street and then down the hill to Les Sherman Park. The theme this year is “Art is…?”
The Neil Balkwill Centre will open at noon. Along with an open house, artwork on exhibition includes work by local artists from the Stitchery Guild, Disley Book Arts Guild, Regina Collage Collective, and the Ranch Ehrlo Society. Art Gallery of Regina ‘Outside the Box’ exhibition features work by mixed-media artist Gerda Osteneck.
A picnic gets underway at Les Sherman Park at 1 p.m., opening with an Elder blessing and a welcome from festival chair, Rob Truszkowski. Mayor Chad Bachynski and NDP Leader Carla Beck will also offer greetings. Phyliss Littletent and the Kawacatoose Singers and Dancers will celebrate the return of spring through song and dance.
Tipis will be available for everyone, especially kids, to enter, explore, and learn about. Elders and knowledge keepers will be onsite to explain how to build a tipi, why they are designed the way they are, and how they helped shape the lives of the First Nations. And in celebration of their 30th year as part of the festival, New Dance Horizons under the leadership of Robin Poitras will be at the picnic to sign up new members and talk about their upcoming performances.
On the Picnic Stage, music begins with one of Saskatchewan’s popular homegrown talents, singer/songwriter Belle Plaine.
Juno award performer Merv XX Gotti whose latest EP amassed over 200,000 Spotify streams will also perform.
The Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Society will also take the stage to showcase traditional prairie tunes.
The Pile of Bones Brass Band will wrap up the evening.
More music will be performed at Westminster United Church, with the 30-musician Regina Mandolin Orchestra at 7 p.m. and the slightly crazy Jazz Bandits at 8 p.m.
That’s just the first day! Check the schedule for more events.
The CVAF is one of Regina’s largest festivals, hosting dozens of performances and large outdoor events, it attracts crowds upwards of 40,000 people.
